COMMITTEE FOR WORKERS RIGHTS CWR
COALITION AGAINST CORRUPTION AND BAD GOVERNANCE CACOBAG.
AND
CAMPAIGN FOR CONSTITUTIONALISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS CCHR.
Sunday 27th September , 2020.
PROTEST IS A LEGITIMATE RIGHT.
POLICE SHOULD STOP ARROGATING POWER IT DOES NOT HAVE TO ITSELF.
Protest Against hike in the price of petrol ,electricity tariff and bad governance will hold tomorrow 28th September, 2020 as scheduled.
We wish to reiterate as Organisations that work with Joint Action Front JAF and collaborate with NLC and TUC that nationwide protests will go ahead as scheduled.
Statement credited to the police calling on Nigerians not to embark on any protest or risk arrest can not be to the knowledge of the heirarchy of Nigeria Police. They know better that Nigerians have legal and constitutional rights to peaceful protest which can not be ousted by the court.
African Charter on People's Rights and Universal Declaration on Human Rights go beyond the territory of Nigeria, therefore the police should not arrogate any power it does not have to itself.
The Police Act and 1999 CFRN as altered clearly spelt out duties of the police and can not go beyond their limitation..
Several conventions of International Labour standards are also clear on the rights of workers.
Convention 95 on protection of wages as well as well as Section 16 (2)d of 1999 CFRN as altered emphasise living wages and illegality of pricing goods beyond the reach of workers. No wages can be " "living" when basic necessities of life are priced beyond the wages.
With the inflation rate in the country , can thirty thousand naira minimum wages sustain any one for two weeks ,not to talk of a month ? Why is the government deriving pleasure in placing more burden on Nigerians that are still groaning due to effects of Covid 19 pandemic ?
The government has been clever in their choice of words which is alien to our constitution.
The government has no intention of making workers comfortable, hence they stick to the use of " minimum wages" as against "living minimum wages" which the Constitution stipulates. Is that not bad governance on its own when the government deliberately uses words that are not in conformity with the Constitution to deceive workers ?
How many rank and file of Nigeria Police Force can afford to buy fuel and pay electricity tariff conveniently from his legitimate income?
How many workers and toiling masses can afford the daily transport fares?
Prices of stable foods that are delicacies of common man have all made nonsense of the meagre thirty thousand naira wages.
It's a known fact that the wages and welfare benefits been presently enjoyed by the police are as a result of agitation/Protests of NLC, TUC, JAF, CWR, DSM, CACOBAG, LASCO , CACOBAG , CDHR , UAD , CCHR , CLO and other
Civil Society organisations.
The Police are expected to provide protection for the protesters and not intimidate ,harrass or give any unlawful order.
Baboon can no longer be working while monkey will be chopping.
We call on all Nigerians to join the peaceful protests and should not be fearful of any threat of arrest.
Comrades in the legal profession are on ground and very ready to protect all Nigerians. Our Statutory books can not be twisted to satisfy whims and caprices of the government.
Whoever holds power today derives it through the people and should for no reason infringe on the people rights to express their feelings through peaceful assembly/protests.
It's the legitimate rights of citizens to protest peacefully against bad governance, harsh economic condition and misplaced priorities of Government.
Peaceful protests continue tomorrow Monday 28th September, 2020 as scheduled and will continue until the government reverses the price of petroleum and electricity tariff to what they were before the inconsiderate and inhuman increase.
People United can never be defeated.
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